Body, Human

51. Body, Human

See also 14. ANATOMY ; 50. BODILY FUNCTIONS .

acrocephaly

Medicine. having a high, pointed skull. Also called oxycephaly. —acrocephalic, acrocephalous, adj.

acromegaly

Medicine. a disease resulting from abnormal activity of the pituitary gland in which bones of the extremities are enlarged. —acromegalic, adj., n.

adiposity

the state of being obese. —adipose, adj.

anatomy

the study of the body and its parts. —anatomist, n. —anatomical, adj.

androgynism, androgyny

the possession of the characteristics of both sexes; hermaphroditism. Also androgyneity. —androgynous. adj.

ankylophobia

a dread of stiff or immobile joints.

atonicity, atony

lack of tone or tonus in the body; poor muscular condition. Cf. tonicity. —atonic, adj.

bioastronautics

the science that studies the effects of space travel on life, especially human life and the human body.

bionics

1. the science or study of how man and animals perform tasks and solve certain types of problems involving use of the body.

2. the application of this study to the design of computer-driven and other automated equipment.

3. the application of this study to the design of artificial limbs, organs, and other prosthetic devices. —bionic, adj.

biophysiology

the branch of biology that studies the growth, morphology, and physiology of organs. —biophysiologist, n.

biopsy

the removal of a fragment of living tissue from the body for medical study. —bioptic, adj.

bisexualism, bisexuality

the condition of combining male and female sexual characteristics in one body. See also 364. SEX . —bisexual, adj.

callipygia, callipygy

the state of having well-shaped buttocks. Cf. steatopygia. —callipygian, callipygous. adj.

carnosity

Obsolete, fleshiness; obesity.

caseation

the change in consistency of tissue to a soft, cheeselike form, as in tuberculosis.

claudication

a limp or limping movement.

clonism

a state or condition in which the muscles undergo clonus, or rapid flexion and extension. —clonic, adj.

coenesthesia, coenesthesis, cenesthesia, cenesthesis

the combination of organic sensations that comprise an individual’s awareness of bodily existence. —coenesthetic, cenesthetic, adj.

deuteropathy

an affection of the body that is secondary to and resulting from another affection.

diarthrosis

a joint or articulation, as that at the knee, which allows maximum movement.

ectomorphy

the condition or state of being an ectomorph, i.e., having a light, slender body structure. —ectomorphic , adj.

emaceration

Obsolete, the act of making or becoming lean; emaciation.

endomorphy

the condition or state of being an endomorph, i.e., having a rounded, stocky body structure with a tendency to obesity. Also called pyknic. —endomorphic , adj.

epicenism

the state or quality of combining characteristics of both sexes. —epicenity , n. —epicene , adj.

excrescence

1. a normal outgrowth of the body, as hair, fingernails.

2. an abnormal outgrowth, as a corn, wart, etc. —excrescent , adj.

formication

a body sensation that feels as if ants are crawling over the skin.

gynandrism, gynandry

hermaphroditism. Also gynandry . —gynandroid , n., adj.

gynecomastism

an excessive development of mammary glands in males. Also gynecomastia, gynecomasty .

hermaphroditism

the presence on an individual body of both male and female sex organs. Also called androgynism, gynandrism, gynandry. —hermaphrodite, n. —hermaphroditic, adj.

hyperkinesia, hyperkinesis

a condition of the body in which muscular movement is abnormally agitated. —hyperkinetic, adj.

hypertrophy

excessive growth of tissue or of an organ, independent of and out of proportion to the rest of the body. Cf. hypoplasia. —hypertrophic , hypertrophical, hypertrophous , adj.

hypoplasia

a condition in which tissue or an organ of the body fails to grow to normal size. Cf. hypertrophy . —hypoplastic , adj.

hypothermia

a condition in which the body temperature is abnormally low. —hypothermal, adj.

ichor

a thin watery substance discharged from wounds or ulcers. See also 183. GOD and GODS . —ichorous , adj.

ictus

Medicine. 1. a stroke or beat, as the beat of the pulse. See also 409. VERSE .

2. a paralytic stroke.

jactitation

Medicine. twitching of the muscles or of other parts of the body. Also called jactation.

kinesiology

Medicine. the study of the motions of the human body, especially as they apply to therapy through corrective exercise. Also called kinestherapy . —kinesiologic, kinesiological, adj.

kyphosis

an abnormal condition of the spine in which it has a hump, kyphos, or curvature. —kyphotic , adj.

leptosomy

ectomorphy. —leptosome , n. —leptosomic, leptosomatic, adj.

lordosis

any abnormal curvature of the bones, especially forward curvature of the spine, resulting in a hollow in the back. —lordotic, adj.

macrosomatia

the condition of having an abnormally large body. —macrosomatous, adj.

marasmus

1. a wasting away or atrophying of the body in the absence of disease.

2. the progressive emaciation that results from malnutrition. —marasmic , adj.

mesomorphy

the condition or state of being a mesomorph, i.e., having an athletic body structure. —mesomorphic , adj.

microcephalism

the condition of having an abnormally small head. Also microcephaly. —microcephalous , microcephalic , adj.

myoatrophy

atrophy or wasting away of the muscles.

myotonia

a condition of tonic muscle spasm or rigidity of the muscles. —myotonic, adj.

necrosis

the death or decay of body tissue, the result of loss of blood supply or trauma. —necrotic, adj.

neoplasia

the growth or formation of aneoplasm. —neoplastic, adj.

neoplasm

any abnormal formation or growth of tissue, as a tumor. —neoplastic, adj.

orthopraxy, orthopraxis

the use of mechanical apparatus or devices to correct bodily deformities.

orthosis

the process of correcting bodily or mental distortion. —orthotic, adj.

osmidrosis

an abnormal condition in which the sweat has a very strong odor.

osteoporosis

the rarefaction of bone, resulting in abnormally porous and weak bony tissue.

oxycephaly

acrocephaly. —oxycephalic, oxycephalous, adj.

oxygeusia

extreme acuteness or sensitivity of the sense of taste.

paralysis

abnormal loss of muscle function or of sensation. —paralytic, n., adj.

paresis

a state or process of partial paralysis. —paretic, adj.

paresthesia, paraesthesia

any abnormal physical sensation, as itching, a tickling feeling, etc. —paresthetic, paraesthetic, adj.

pectoriloquism, pectoriloquy

the transmission of the voice through the chest wall, so that it can be picked up by direct listening against the chest or with a stethoscope. It frequently indicates an abnormality in the lungs. —pectoriloquial, pectoriloquous, adj.

phocomelia, phocomely

a deformity, usually congenital, in which the extremities of the limbs are abnormally short.

pinguidity

the state or quality of being fat or unctuous. —pinguid, adj.

pneumology

the scientific study of the human respiratory system. —pneumological, adj.

polymastism

the condition of having more than two breasts. Also polymastia. —polymastic, adj.

psychroesthesia

an abnormal condition in which part of the body, though actually warm, is felt as cold.

pulsimeter, pulsometer

an instrument for measuring the rate of the pulse.

radiosensibility

sensitivity to the effects of radiation, as of parts of the body. Also radiosensitivity . —radiosensible, adj.

rhigosis

the feeling or sensation of coldness.

rictus

the opening of the mouth, especially in a grimace or expression of pain.

rotundity

the state or quality of being roundor plump. —rotund, adj.

schematomancy

divination of a person’s future from observation of physical appearance.

sclerosis

a hardening of body tissues or other parts, as by an excessive growth of fibrous connective tissue. See also 319. PLANTS . —sclerotic, adj.

scoliosis

lateral curvature of the spine. —scoliotic, adj.

somatology

the branch of anthropology that studies man’s physical characteristics. Also physical anthropology, somatics. —somatologie, somatological, adj.

somatotype

a particular type of human physique. Cf. ectomorphy, endomorphy, mesomorphy.

steatopygia, steatopygy

excessive fatness of the hips and buttocks. Cf. callipygia. —steatopygic , adj.

syntexis

the wasting of the body, as in consumption. —syntectic, syntectical , adj.

tabes

any disease that wastes the body; atrophy. —tabetic , n., adj.

tabescence

1. the process of emaciation or wasting of the body.

2. the condition of being wasted or in decay, especially as a gradual process. —tabescent , adj.

tabitude

the state of being affected by tabes or by gradual wasting or decay.

tonicity

the state or quality of muscular tone or tension. —tonic, adj.

torticollis

a condition characterized by involuntary contraction of the cervical muscles, causing a twisting of the neck; wryneck.

tricrotism

the condition of having three arterial beats for every one heart-beat, as in certain pulses. —tricrotic , adj.

turgescence, turgescency

1. the process of swelling.

2. the state of being swollen. —turgescent , adj.

valgus

1. an abnormally turned condition of a bone in part of the human body, especially the leg.

2. the condition of being bow-legged.

vellication

a twitching, as of a part of the body; convulsive movement of a muscle.

ventripotence

obesity, particularly in the region of the stomach. —ventripotent, adj.

ventrosity

Rare. largeness of the belly; corpulence, especially in the abdominal region.

xeransis

a dried or desiccated condition of the body. Also xerosis. —xerantic , adj.

xerotes

a dry condition or tendency to dryness of the body. —xerotic , adj.

zonesthesia

a feeling or sensation of constriction in the body, as from wearing a tight belt.

zooplasty

the process of surgically grafting tissue from a lower animal onto the human body. —zooplastic , adj.